Picture frame drawing pad

ABSTRACT

A picture frame drawing pad including a frame housing having a window that includes a perimeter, and a front surface, the frame housing being operatively arranged to house and display an item in the window, the front surface being arranged substantially around the perimeter of the window, and a drawing pad including a first sheet of substantially planar material having a front surface and a back surface, and a plurality of sheets in the form of a stack, wherein the back surface of the first sheet is secured to the front surface of the frame housing, substantially all of the back surface of the first sheet is arranged flush against the front surface of the frame housing, and the stack of sheets is removably secured to the first sheet.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention broadly relates to picture frames and drawing pads. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to a combination of a picture frameand a drawing pad.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Picture frames are well known. Generally, a picture frame comprises aframe housing having a window, the frame housing being operativelyarranged to house and display an item, such as a photograph, in thewindow. The frame housing often includes a decorative front surface,which a user chooses based on his personal preference for its particularaesthetic quality. A drawback to this type of frame housing is that thedecorative front surface is immutable, regardless of whether the user'spersonal preferences change over time. Thus, the user is stuck with hisinitial choice based on a personal preference she no longer has.

Drawing pads are also well known. Generally a drawing pad comprises aplurality of sheets of material adapted for drawing thereon, such aspaper, wherein each sheet is removably secured to the rest of the stack.One generally uses a drawing pad to practice drawing, writing, doodling,and/or sketching images, and the top sheet is removable so that the usercan remove it once she is finished creating images thereon. It is oftenthe case that a user creates an image that is aesthetically pleasing andhas significant artistic value, but not enough to warrant displaying itin any permanent fashion, such as, in a picture frame. Thus, a drawbackof prior drawing pads is that such an image remains unappreciated byothers and is relegated to obscurity once the user decides to remove theparticular sheet upon which it is fixed.

Thus, there is a longfelt need for a picture frame whose frame housinghas a front surface that may be changed according to a user's personalpreference.

There is also a longfelt need for a drawing pad whose images affixedthereto may be displayed in a relatively nonpermanent fashion.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Broadly, the present invention is a picture frame drawing pad comprisinga frame housing including a window having a perimeter and a frontsurface, the frame housing being operatively arranged to house anddisplay an item in the window, the front surface being arrangedsubstantially around the perimeter of the window, and a drawing padcomprising a first sheet of substantially planar material having a frontsurface and a back surface, wherein the back surface of the first sheetis secured to the front surface of the frame housing, and substantiallyall of the back surface of the first sheet is arranged flush against thefront surface of the frame housing. Preferably, the drawing pad furthercomprises a window substantially aligned with the window of the framehousing. Additionally, the substantially planar material of the firstsheet may be adapted for drawing thereon.

In a preferred embodiment, the drawing pad may further comprise aplurality of sheets of substantially planar material adapted for drawingthereon, the plurality of sheets being arranged in a stack comprising atop sheet and a bottom sheet, wherein each sheet of the plurality ofsheets is removably secured to the rest of the stack, the bottom sheetis removably secured to the first sheet, and substantially all of theback surface of the bottom sheet is arranged flush against the frontsurface of the first sheet.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a pictureframe whose frame housing has a front surface that may be changedaccording to a user's personal preference.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a drawing padwhose images affixed thereto may be displayed in a relativelynonpermanent fashion.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will bereadily appreciable from the following description of preferredembodiments of the invention and from the accompanying drawings andclaims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now bemore fully described in the following detailed description of theinvention taken with the accompanying drawing figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the present invention pictureframe drawing pad showing a plurality of images drawn thereon andphotograph displayed therein;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the picture frame drawing pad;

FIG. 3 is a front, exploded, perspective view of the picture framedrawing pad;

FIG. 4 is a back, exploded, perspective view of the picture framedrawing pad; and,

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of the pictureframe drawing pad.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

At the outset, it should be appreciated that like drawing numbers ondifferent drawing views identify identical, or functionally similar,structural elements of the invention. While the present invention isdescribed with respect to what is presently considered to be thepreferred aspects, it is to be understood that the invention as claimedis not limited to the disclosed aspects.

Furthermore, it should be understood that this invention is not limitedto the particular methodology, materials and modifications described andas such may, of course, vary. It should also be understood that theterminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularaspects only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the presentinvention, which is limited only by the appended claims.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill inthe art to which this invention belongs. Hereinafter, the word “drawing”includes writing, sketching, doodling, and any other activity thatproduces images and/or characters. Although any methods, devices ormaterials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used inthe practice or testing of the invention, the preferred methods,devices, and materials are now described.

The following description is best understood in view of FIGS. 1-4. FIGS.1-4 show a first embodiment of picture frame drawing pad 100 broadlycomprising frame 200 and drawing pad 300.

Frame 200 comprises frame housing 201, back board 260, and shield 255.Frame housing includes outer perimeter 210, inner perimeter 220, window250 defined by inner perimeter 220, front surface 230, and back surface240. Back surface 240 may include recess 242 arranged proximate innerperimeter 220. Recess 242 is preferably arranged to receive shield 255and back board 260 such that back board 260 is arranged flush with therest of back surface 240 when frame 200 is assembled. Moreover, frame200 is arranged to house and display an item, for example, photograph50, in window 250, preferably between shield 255 and back board 260.Back board 260 may be secured to frame housing by any means known in theart, for example, a plurality of swing tabs 263 secured to back surface240 and arranged to pivot over back board 260 when back board 260 isarranged in recess 242. Back board 260 may include pivotable stand 262,which is operatively arranged pivot away from the rest of back board 260and support frame 200 such that window 250 is in a substantially uprightand viewable position.

It should be appreciated that outer perimeter 210 and inner perimeter220 may be configured in any suitable shape. In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1-4, outer perimeter 210 and inner perimeter 220 are eachgenerally rectangular in shape. Thus, window 250, which is defined byinner perimeter 200, is generally rectangular in shape. In thisembodiment, outer perimeter 210 comprises top surface 212, bottomsurface 214, right surface 216, and left surface 218. Inner perimeter220 comprises top surface 222, bottom surface 224, right surface 226,and left surface 228.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, front surface 230 comprises asubstantially planar surface arranged substantially around the perimeterof the window, defined by inner perimeter 220, and is bounded by outerperimeter 210 and inner perimeter 220. However, it should be appreciatedthat front surface 230 may be arranged in a multitude of other shapesand sizes without departing from the scope of the invention claimed anddescribed herein, provided drawing pad 300 is attachable thereto in themanner described in further detail infra.

Drawing pad 300 comprises first sheet 301 of material adapted fordrawing thereon, for example, paper, cardboard, plastic, etc., whereinfirst sheet 301 includes back surface 305 arranged flush against frontsurface 230 of frame housing 201. Preferably, substantially all of backsurface 305 is arranged flush against front surface 230, so that window250 is not obscured by first sheet 301, and so that first sheet 301 doesnot extend past outer perimeter 210. Thus, it is preferable that thesurface area of back surface 305 is less than or equal to the surfacearea of front surface 230 and configured such that it fits between outerperimeter 210 and inner perimeter 220. First sheet 301 may be attachedto front surface 230 by any means known in the art, for example,adhesives.

Drawing pad 300 may further comprise a plurality of sheets 331 ofmaterial adapted for drawing thereon and arranged in a stack having topsheet 333 and bottom sheet 335, and wherein each sheet of the pluralityof sheets 331 has a front surface and a back surface. Each sheet of theplurality of sheets 331 is preferably removably secured to the rest ofthe stack by any means known in the art, for example, a thin layer ofrubber cement along top surface 342 of the stack.

Top sheet 333 is defined as the last sheet in the stack whose frontsurface is viewable when drawing pad picture frame 100 is assembled. Asshown in FIG. 1, top sheet 333 is arranged to be drawn thereon, asillustrated by image 45 affixed thereto. Since each sheet of theplurality of sheets 331 is removably secured to the rest of stack, topsheet 333 can be removed. Once removed, the next sheet becomes top sheet333. This is preferable in the event a user desires an unmarked sheet onwhich to draw new images.

Bottom sheet 335 is defined as the last sheet of the stack which issecured, preferably removably secured, to first sheet 301. Thus, topsheet 333 and bottom sheet 335 can be the same sheet when there is onlyone sheet left in the stack of sheets 331. Preferably, substantially allof the back surface of bottom sheet 335 is arranged flush against frontsurface 303 of first sheet 301, and substantially all of the backsurface of each sheet of the rest of the plurality of sheets 331 isarranged flush against the front surface of an adjacent sheet, so thatso that window 250 is not obscured by the stack of sheets 331. Firstsheet 301 is preferably made of rigid material, such as cardboard, sothat it may be securely attached to front surface 230 and support theweight of the stack of sheets 331.

In a preferred embodiment, as shown in the figures, first sheet 301comprises outer perimeter 310, inner perimeter 320, and window 325defined by inner perimeter 320. Outer perimeter 310 is rectangular andincludes top surface 312, bottom surface 314, right surface 316, andleft surface 318. Likewise, inner perimeter 320 is rectangular andincludes top surface 322, bottom surface 324, right surface 326, andleft surface 328.

Additionally, the stack of sheets 331 preferably comprises outerperimeter 340, inner perimeter 350, and window 250 defined by innerperimeter 350. Outer perimeter 340 is rectangular and includes topsurface 342, bottom surface 344, right surface 346, and left surface348. Likewise, inner perimeter 350 is rectangular and includes topsurface 342, bottom surface 344, right surface 346, and left surface348.

Drawing pad 300 is preferably arranged such that outer perimeters 310and 340 are substantially aligned with each other, and inner perimeters320 and 350 are substantially aligned with each other. Moreover, drawingpad picture frame 100 is preferably arranged such that windows 355, 325,and 250 are substantially aligned when assembled, in order for item 50to be viewable when held and displayed in frame housing 201.

It should be appreciated that However, outer perimeters 210, 310, and340, inner perimeters 220, 320, and 350, and, therefore, windows 250,325, and 355 defined thereby, respectively, may configured in anysuitable shape without departing from the scope of the invention claimedherein. For example, in the embodiment shown FIG. 5, each of theaforementioned perimeters and windows are substantially ovular in shape.

Thus, it is seen that the objects of the present invention areefficiently obtained, although modifications and changes to theinvention should be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill inthe art, which modifications are intended to be within the spirit andscope of the invention as claimed. It also is understood that theforegoing description is illustrative of the present invention andshould not be considered as limiting. Therefore, other embodiments ofthe present invention are possible without departing from the spirit andscope of the present invention.

1. A picture frame drawing pad comprising: a frame housing comprising: awindow having a perimeter; and, a front surface, the frame housing beingoperatively arranged to house and display an item in the window, thefront surface being arranged substantially around the perimeter of thewindow; and, a drawing pad comprising a first sheet of substantiallyplanar material having a front surface and a back surface, wherein theback surface of the first sheet is secured to the front surface of theframe housing, and substantially all of the back surface of the firstsheet is arranged flush against the front surface of the frame housing.2. The picture frame drawing pad recited in claim 1, wherein the frontsurface of the frame housing has a surface area, the back surface of thefirst sheet has a surface area, and the surface area of the back surfaceof the first sheet is less than or equal to the surface area of thefront surface of the frame housing.
 3. The picture frame drawing padrecited in claim 1, wherein the first sheet comprises a windowsubstantially aligned with the window of the frame housing.
 4. Thepicture frame drawing pad recited in claim 1, wherein the substantiallyplanar material of the first sheet is adapted for drawing thereon. 5.The picture frame drawing pad recited in claim 1, wherein the firstsheet is rigid.
 6. The picture frame drawing pad recited in claim 5,wherein the substantially planar material of the first sheet iscardboard.
 7. The picture frame drawing pad recited in claim 1, whereinthe substantially planar material of the first sheet is paper.
 8. Thepicture frame drawing pad recited in claim 1, wherein the drawing padfurther comprises a plurality of sheets of substantially planar materialadapted for drawing thereon, and the plurality of sheets is arranged ina stack comprising a top sheet and a bottom sheet, wherein each sheet ofthe plurality of sheets is removably secured to the rest of the stack,the bottom sheet is removably secured to the first sheet, andsubstantially all of the back surface of the bottom sheet is arrangedflush against the front surface of the first sheet.
 9. The picture framedrawing pad recited in claim 8, wherein each sheet of the plurality ofsheets comprises a back surface having a surface area, the front surfaceof the first sheet has a surface area, and the surface area of the backsurface of each sheet of the plurality of sheets is less than or equalto the surface area of the front surface of the first sheet.
 10. Thepicture frame drawing pad recited in claim 1, wherein the drawing padfurther comprises a window substantially aligned with the window of theframe housing.
 11. The picture frame drawing pad recited in claim 1,wherein the item comprises an image affixed to a tangible medium. 12.The picture frame drawing pad recited in claim 1, wherein the itemcomprises a photograph.